1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alarm apparatus for an automatic transmission vehicle and, more specifically, to an alarm apparatus for preventing the vehicle from creeping when the engine is started.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An automatic transmission is usually provided with various ranges of Park (P) position, Reverse (R) position, Neutral (N) position, Drive (D) position, Second (2) position and low (L) position. The magnitude of power transmitted from an engine to the vehicle's wheels changes according to the shift position to which the shift lever is set. Further, the engine can be started only at P or N position, at which engine power is not directly transmitted to the vehicle wheels.
To drive an automatic transmission vehicle, usual the driver first starts the engine and shifts the shift lever from P position to one of drive positions (e.g. D position) while depressing the foot brake, as disclosed in Japanese Published Examined (Kokoku) Patent No. 62-20343, for instance.
However, in case the driver sets the shift lever from P position to D position without applying the brake to the vehicle, there exists a problem in that the vehicle starts at a low speed, due to the so-called creep phenomenon.
To overcome this creep phenomenon, a shift lever locking mechanism has been proposed such that the shift lever is locked at the P position, when the driver does not actuate the foot brake or the parking brake, to prohibit the shift lever from beign set to another shift position.
In the prior-art shift lever lockingn mechanisms, however, since this locking mechanism is not operative or disabled when the engine is started with the shift lever set to N position, the driver may set the shift lever from N position to one of drive positions without applying the brake to the vehicle, thus still resulting in a problem, in that it is impossible to perfectly prevent the creep phenomenon.